Brachyscome plant named ‘Bonbrabu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Brachyscome  plant named ‘Bonbrabu’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; uniform and early flowering habit; numerous large inflorescences positioned above the foliage; violet-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Brachyscome multifida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONBRABU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Brachyscome plant, botanically known as Brachyscome multifida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonbrabu’.

The new Brachyscome plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new mounding Brachyscome plants with unique and attractive ray floret color.

The new Brachyscome plant originated from a cross-pollination in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, of a proprietary selection of Brachyscome multifida identified as code number 00-90, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Brachyscome multifida identified as code number 00-138.3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent in June, 2004. The new Brachyscome plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Brachyscome plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since January, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Brachyscome plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Brachyscome have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonbrabu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonbrabu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Brachyscome:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Uniform and early flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous large inflorescences positioned above the foliage.     -   5. Violet-colored ray florets.     -   6. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome are not as compact as plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Brachyscome differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the male parent selection are more open than and not as mounding as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Brachyscome can also be compared to plants of the Brachyscome angustifolia ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,889. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Brachyscome differed from plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachyscome were more compact than plants         of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachyscome had larger leaves than plants         of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Brachyscome were deeply         pinnatifid whereas leaves of plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’         were lobed.     -   4. Plants of the new Brachyscome had larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’.     -   5. Plants of the new Brachyscome and ‘Billabong Mauve Delight’         differed slightly in ray floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Brachyscome plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Brachyscome plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonbrabu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonbrabu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the early summer in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranging from 6° C. to 15° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Brachyscome multifida ‘Bonbrabu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Brachyscome multifida identified as code number 00-90, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Brachyscome multifida identified as code number 00-138.3,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright, outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous             growth habit; freely branching growth habit with about 16             lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development.         -   Plant height.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 27.6 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Aspect: Upright to outward. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 137C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Deeply pinnatifid.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Pinnatifid.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and habit.—Single composite inflorescence form             with ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum; inflorescences borne above the foliage; uniform             and freely flowering habit with about 20 open inflorescences             per plant at a time; inflorescences face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring through autumn             in Japan; flowering continuous during this period; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about 35 days after             planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to             three weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 6.6 mm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Height: About             6 mm. Diameter of disc: About 5.4 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity/arrangement: About 23 to 29 in one or             two whorls. Length: About 8.3 mm. Width: About 2.3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse, praemorse. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 90C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N88D.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85B.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity/arrangement: About 53 massed at             center of receptacle. Shape: Tubular, elongated; five-lobed.             Apex: Acute. Length: About 4.7 mm. Width: About 1.6 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 145B.             Color, mature: Close to 6A.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About 15; bracts             imbricate. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape:             Elliptic to oblong. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire, ciliate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen length: About 2.2 mm. Anther length: Less than             1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 9A.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9A.             Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil length:             About 4.7 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color: Close to             9A. Ovary color: Close to 145C.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Brachyscome. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Brachyscomes. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Brachyscome have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Brachyscome plant named ‘Bonbrabu’ as illustrated and described. 